Guide to Israel Schools

Midreshet Lindenbaum—S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program

Goal of the Program

a) to promote a love of Torah
b) to provide the skills necessary to translate that love into a life dedicated to Torah learning and mitzva observance
c) to strengthen our student’s connection and sense of responsibility to Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael

Hashkafa

Goal of Program
a) to promote a love of Torah
b) to provide the skills necessary to translate that love into a life dedicated to Torah learning and mitzva observance
c) to strengthen our student’s connection and sense of responsibility to Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael
Attitude towards Israel and Medinat Yisrael
We are proud that we present a Zionist message. It is not only Eretz Yisrael but also Medinat Yisrael that forms a significant part of our Jewish identity. We feel blessed to be living in an era that we consider atchalta d'geulah. On Yom Ha'Atzmaut there is true celebration. Equally important we take the students to Har Herzl on Yom Hazikaron to be part of Klal Yisrael not only in times of joy but in times of collective sorrow.
Attitude towards University Studies
Most of our students attend either Ivy League universities (e.g. Columbia, University of Pennsylvania) or schools with large active Jewish communities (e.g. Brandeis, University of Maryland) upon completion of their year at Midreshet Lindenbaum. Approximately 20% percent go to Stern College each year. We emphasize the importance of being koveah itim wherever they may be. For the vast majority of our students secular studies is a given. The issue is not -what will you study- but rather -how will you live?
Attitude towards Extracurricular Activities
Our students are encouraged to develop themselves in ways which
complement their Torah learning. In particular, Tuesday afternoons are
devoted to Chessed or Jerusalem U, a pro-Israel advocacy training
program.

Midreshet Darkaynu, a program for developmentally disabled young
women, is an integral part of the Midrasha. Many of our students choose
to learn b’chevruta with the Darkaynu students, or to participate in Darkaynu’s
annual musical production. Several times a year we sponsor school-wide
chessed projects, often based on student initiatives.

Preparations Towards Israel

Our Halakha curriculum places a strong
emphasis on empowering our students to live Halakhic lives on campus and
beyond. Our faculty remains in constant contact with our alumnae and
their questions and experiences inform the topics that we address throughout
the year.

Jerusalem U, our Israel advocacy program,
challenges our students by exposing them to the heart of the Israel-Arab
conflict through lectures, encounters with diverse communities and
off-the-beaten-track field trips. This open and comprehensive approach
enables our students to become intelligent and passionate advocates for Israel
on their college campuses.

Finally, towards the end of the
year, we sponsor a series of “Back to the Future” events. Topics
discussed include relating to parents, relating to non-Jews and non-religious
Jews, Jewish leadership on campus, advocating Israel's cause, aseh lecha rav,
marriage and family, and an aliya panel..

The "Successful" Student
There is no one mold. We hope that our students will be religiously committed wives and mothers, involved in their Jewish communities. We hope that they will find personal fulfillment in the path of their choice, as career women, homemakers, educators, professional volunteers, or any combination of the above.

Dress
The school's dress code reflects accepted rabbinic standards of tzniut. Skirts must cover the knees even when sitting and slits in skirts may not go above the knee. The neckline must be appropriate and sleeves much reach the elbow. No more than two earrings in each ear and certainly no other body piercing.

Guidance Personnel
We strongly believe that the relationships that our students form with teachers, administrators, etc. will be one of the most significant elements of their year in Israel. Each student has a Ram, a full-time teacher assigned to a specific group of students. Our faculty is diverse and there are many role models to relate to. Our dorm parents live in the building and provide a warm, comfortable, additional resource. The madrichot are college graduates who live in the dorm and are always there to provide friendship, support, and information. The rakazot, young married women who are wonderful role models, are available to speak to students and learn with them in the beit midrash. In addition we have a professional guidance person on staff available to speak to students at their request or at the suggestion of one of the teachers or madrichot.

Supervision
Rules at Midreshet Lindenbaum are directed to helping students develop responsible adult behaviors. Students must sign into the building no later than 12:30pm. Attendance is carefully monitored. There is a zero tolerance policy for alcohol.

Curriculum

Makeup

Most classes at
Midreshet Lindenbaum are comprised of frontal classroom teaching plus chavruta
learning in the beit midrash in approximately equal components. This is, in our
opinion, the defining and unique element of our program. It is not only the
acquisition of knowledge but of skills that is of paramount importance. There
is a limit to the knowledge you can acquire in one year, but skills open up
limitless possibilities for the future.

At each given time there are four
parallel shiurim on different levels. Students choose classes based on level
and language of instruction.

Students who would like
to combine the advantages of learning with Israelis with the care of an
overseas program may participate in our Tochnit Tamar. Students in this
program spend between a third and half of their week integrated into classes
with Lindenbaum’s Israeli program.

Courses Offered

The core curriculum
consists of classes in Gemara, Torah, Nach, Halakha, Machshava, and Women and
Halakha. In addition, students may also choose from a variety of elective
courses in Jewish Philosophy (Kuzari, Rambam, Chassidut, Rav Kook, the Rav),
Jewish History (Zionism, History of the Holocaust), and Contemporary Halakic
Issues. There is a daf yomi shiur during the lunch breaks and Rav
Menachem Liebtag offers an intensive Tanach Seminar one evening a week
(5:00-10:00pm).

Students who
choose to participate in our Tochnit Ora make weekly visits to the homes of
guest speakers, alternating between Midreshet Lindenbaum faculty and other
Torah scholars in the greater Jerusalem area, where they have an opportunity to
learn from and about these Torah personalities. Speakers have included
Dr.Yael Ziegler, Rabbi Chaim Brovender, Rabbanit Malka Bina, and Rav Elchanan
Samet.

Night seders are a mix of chavruta time, bkiut
shiurim (twice a week), and an intensive Torah seminar.

Daf Yomi is offered during the
lunch breaks and Thursday night mishmar runs late into the night with a diverse
selection of guest speakers.

Language of Instruction
English and Hebrew
Ulpan or Hebrew Class
We do not offer Ulpan.
Assessment and Grading
Transcripts are provided to all students upon request. Grades are based on attendance, participation, and advancement in comprehension, skills, knowledge, etc. There are review sessions but no written exams.
Shana Bet
We encourage Shana Bet. Nevertheless, our Shana Bet program is relatively small. Most of our students attend colleges where they receive no credit for study in Israel and it is extremely difficult for them to commit to a second year. Most of the students who do stay Shana Bet continue at Stern College where they can receive credit for a year and a half of study.
Joint Program
Midreshet Lindenbaum is one of many programs affiliated with the Joint Israel Program at Yeshiva University/Stern College.

Staff

Rabbi Shlomo
Riskin is the Dean of Ohr Torah Institutions and Midreshet Lindenbaum

Rav
Shlomo Brown is the Menahel

Rav
Tuvia Kaplan is the Mashgiach Ruchani
Tova Rhein is the Director of the Overseas Program

Midreshet
Lindenbaum’s Tochnit Tamar offers students an opportunity to create a life-long
kesher with Israeli peers. Students in the program may choose to dorm and
integrate into classes with Lindenbaum’s Israeli program. Even for students who
do not choose this option, the Overseas Program shares a building and a beit
midrash with our Israeli Program providing a daily opportunity for meaningful
interaction.

Some of our students
choose to volunteer with Israeli families, and others are exposed to various
Israeli personalities in the context of our Israel Advocacy program. In
addition, students are encouraged to visit family and friends throughout the
country on free Shabbatot. We encourage our students to read the newspaper and
follow Israeli news on relevant websites.

Special Informal programs

There are programs and speakers relating to calendar events - chagim, Yom Hashoa, etc. There are chagigot (or other programming) for Rosh Chodesh and for Yom Ha'Atzmaut. Our students are in Meron on Lag Ba'Omer and participate in the Rikud HaDegalim on Yom Yerushaliam. In addition we invite special guest speakers to address the students on various topics of interest. Among the speakers we have invited are Dr. Gerald Schroeder (Genesis and the Big Bang), Robby Berman of the Halachic Organ Donor Society, Rav Hanoch Teller, Rav Vitman (the Rav of Tnuva) and a shatnes expert.

Sports Facilities

Midreshet Lindenbaum has a fully equipped exercise room with
treadmills and an elliptical machine

Programming for Shabbat and Yom Tov

We spend Shabbat
together as a community approximately 12 times a year. Sometimes students
enjoy spending Shabbat together at our home-away-from-home facilities, and at
other times we travel to Tzfat, Shadmot Mechola, Sderot, or Gush
Etzion. Several times a year the students are hosted as a group in the
homes and communities of our faculty. We daven and learn together in school on
Yom Kippur and Shavuot. Additionally, there are several optional
Shabbatot both in and out of school. The dormitory is always open (including
out Shabbatot and vacation times) with either a madricha or the av and em bayit
present.

On free Shabbatot, the
madrichot will arrange places with faculty members, at the homes of Israeli
students, or with Anglo-Saxon olim as per the request of the student. Most of our
students either travel home for Pesach or participate in the Tochnit Nissan
program of Bnei Akiva.

Field Trips

At Midreshet Lindenbaum we believe that each step you
take strengthens your everlasting connection to Eretz Yisrael. There are
three three-day tiyulim, one south and two north. These contain both fun hikes
(eg. Yehudia) and a Tanach or historical component (eg. Gilboa, Zippori). We
also have several one-day tiyulim in the Jerusalem area (Kotel Tunnels, Southern
Wall, Yad Vashem, Emek Ha'Elah, Givat Hatachmoshet, etc.)

Eligibility

Level of Learning Offered
Intermediate and Advanced

Hebrew Knowledge Required
Intermediate

Religious Observance Required
Students must be fully committed to Shmirat Torah u'Mitzvot

Population

Type of American Student
Greater New York Metropolitan Area: 35

Others from the United States and Canada: 18

New York / New Jersey Schools: Bruriah, Frisch, HAFTR, Kushner, Maayanot, Ramaz, SAR, SKA, Yeshiva of Flatbush, Yeshiva University High School for Girls

Other Nationalities
England, Europe, Australia: 8. There is an Israeli program of approximately 80 students (30 post high school and 50 post sherut leumi/army) and a program for students from South America.

Number of Students per Class
No information provided

Accommodations

Living Quarters
Midreshet Lindenbaum is housed in the former Zohar Hotel. The second and third floors of the building are dormitory suites. Each suite has two rooms of two, a bathroom and kitchenette with a refrigerator, electric burners and a large toaster-type oven. All students fill out a roommate questionnaire and may choose their own roommate but no more than two students from the same high school are placed in the same suite. Students may have guests with the permission of their roommates and the approval of the em bayit.

Availability of Private Kitchen Facilities
Each suite has two rooms of two, a kitchenette with a refrigerator, electric burners and a large toaster-type oven.

Facility use during Shabbat and Yom Tov
The dormitory is open throughout the year including Shabbatot and vacation periods. A madricha or the em bayit are always present.

Curfew
Students must sleep in the dorm every night other than Friday night, The curfew is 12:30 am.

Security Arrangements
There is a 24 hour armed security guard. A closed circuit television surveys the entire perimeter of the property. The front door is locked at all times. The students know the code to open the door. The school does not issue its own travel advisories but does inform the students of any special alert that is announced to the public. We ask parents to discuss with their daughters (before their arrival in Israel) their specific comfort boundaries- where they may travel, how (bus, taxi) they may travel etc. We discuss these issues with students and parents throughout the year. In case of a terrorist incident there is an immediate SMS to students and e-mail is sent to the parent body assuring them of their daughter's safety.

History

Midreshet Lindenbaum (originally known as Bruria) was founded in 1978. It was the first women's program to promote chavruta Torah study and is currently the largest women's beit midrash program in the world.

The school is located in the quiet residential area of Talpiot, Jerusalem.

Accrediting Universities

Midreshet Lindenbaum is a Yeshiva University S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program School.

Tuition

Tuition for the 2014-2015 academic year is
90,000 Israeli shekel. All students are entitled to a $1000 grant from Masa.

Midreshet
Lindenbaum offers need-based financial aid.

Additional Information

The uniqueness of Midreshet Lindenbaum is apparent in our approach to learning and in our approach to our students. As we mentioned above, we are not concerned only with the amount information that a student acquires. It is important to us that she become an active partner in the learning process, that she experiences true Torah lishma. In addition, it is important to us that she learns the skills and acquires the love of Torah that will insure that she didn't just learn for a year, but in that year she learned how to learn for the rest of her life.

As far as our students- we trust them. We respect their judgment, their ability, their seriousness of purpose. Our experience shows that they respond with respect, good judgment, and a serious approach to learning. Moreover, they develop the confidence and maturity that will enable them to take part in the collective mission.